


Something, Something

by Starley (eliasdarcychere)



Category: Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - High School, Art, Cat adoption, Class Differences, Crush at First Sight, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Falling In Love, Female Cloud Strife, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, M/M, POV Third Person Limited, free-write, random thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26314555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliasdarcychere/pseuds/Starley
Summary: Just a space to put my many random Clartz  (Bartz x Cloud) short stories in. All just plot bunnies and nothing really serious.
Relationships: Bartz Klauser/Cloud Strife
Comments: 28
Kudos: 8





	1. Cats

**Author's Note:**

> Hi,
> 
> This is just a space I made to put my short fluff stories in! I had a bit of writer's block after I completed my summer chemistry course and was too busy overthinking so I started writing random things until I got something out! And that's how the story goes. I'm going to sit down and try to finish my forever story (I have the rest of the plot written in my notebook. I'm sorry August was such a hectic month for me!) so I can start writing my new story idea that I have in mind for Clartz.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it! 
> 
> And as always, every character in this story belongs to Square Enix

Cloud sees it from the corner of his eye on his way home from school.

He sees a small cat, black and white in color.

And maybe his mind is playing tricks on him, or his imagination is running wild, but it seems to him that the cat is following him. There are many pieces of evidence to support his thought process:

One, there’s a good amount of space between him and the cat. Cats are curious beings, always curious in nature. Isn’t that how the saying always goes; “curiosity killed the cat” or something like that. Cloud thinks he just sparks the cat’s curiosity, and surely after a while, the cat will be interested in something else and leave him alone. Yet, every time something catches the cat’s attention, it will stop for a moment, and then scurries along to catch up to him.

Two, the cat is scurrying, tail upright, twitching at its tip. Its eyes are always on Cloud as it does.

Cloud finds it to be weird because usually cats run away from him. He has enough memories of Betty’s, Marlene’s friend, cats running away from him to be certain of that. Not this cat, though. This cat is different; if Cloud doesn’t know any better, he thinks the cat is actually happy to see him.

He is even more so able to prove his point when his special friend, Bartz, asks him. “Are we going to talk about the elephant in the room? Or should I say the cat in the room?”

“I guess we can,” Cloud says, shrugging his shoulder. “But it’s not going to make a difference.”

“You sure know how to be positive.” Bartz chuckles. “The cat obviously likes you; it has been following you for a while now.”

“I’m just stating facts. Besides, the cat is going to run away as soon as I go near it.” He says and adds. “I can even show you, just watch me.”

Cloud moves towards the small cat. The cat is sitting on the sidewalk now, looking at him with big eyes, waiting to see what happens next. Once, he reaches a comfortable distance from the cat, Cloud crouches down and reaches out his hand to pet the cat only for the cat to move away from him.

And then there’s laughter; of course, Bartz finds this funny.

“That’s not how you greet a cat, Cloud,” Bartz says between his laughter. “You’ve nearly frightened the poor thing.”

Cloud stands up, crosses his arm, and sighs. “Show me what I’ve done wrong then…”

“Sure! Let me show you how it’s done.” He then walks up to Cloud, crouches down, and holds out his hand. The cat perks up, sits in place, and looks at Bartz’s hand as if it’s deciding on what to do next.

“Okay… now what?”

“Now, we wait… It’s the cat’s call from here on out.”

“Alright, master.” Cloud teases.

Bartz shakes his head and says. “Well, love, just watch and learn.”

Cloud stays quiet. The pet name has really caught him off guard and makes him lose his train of thought. So, he does what he is told to do: watch and learn. Bartz knows exactly what to say to make him stay quiet. Cloud knows Bartz enjoys it; his newfound effect on Cloud, that is.

“Cat got your tongue, Cloud?” Bartz says, teasing and chuckling.

“Nope,” Cloud says. Perhaps, Bartz enjoys it a little too much. “I’m just doing what you told me to do.”

Before Bartz can come up with a witty response, the cat moves towards him. It rubs its nose, then its cheeks on his hand, purring and playful in nature. Bartz slowly moves his hand to pet the cat. The cat closes its eyes, enjoying the sensation of being pet. Cloud moves in closer. It’s a cute sight to see. He’s glad that the cat chose a perfect time to come near; he wouldn’t know what to say if Bartz kept continuing to tease him.

“And that’s how it’s done,” Bartz says, still petting the cat. Cloud hums in agreement. A little while later, Bartz scoops the cat in his arms and stands up. He faces Cloud and asks. “Do you want to hold them, Cloud?”

“…Sure.”

“Alright, but be gentle and nice with them,” Bartz tells him as he moves in closer to him and passes the cat to him. Cloud uses what he has learned, moves in a pace that doesn’t frighten the cat, and then holds the cat in his arms. The cat then snuggles and relaxes in his arms. Well, this is certainly new and totally a surprising feat to say the least.

“See, I told you the cat likes you.”

“I guess you are right, Bartz.”

“I am right, Cloud.” He corrects him, petting the cat in his arms. “You know, you guys are totally similar.”

“Me and the cat?” Cloud says, confused. “How?”

“Well, you are both very independent, cute, nice, and caring.” Bartz starts to answer his question. Cloud can feel himself blushing as he listens to Bartz. He gulps as Bartz leans in and whispers the last comparison in Cloud’s ear. “If I move in too fast, you both might get frightened.”

“That’s not true,” Cloud says rather quickly. For the cat, it’s true, but not for him.

Bartz playfully rolls his eyes and starts walking. “Says the guy who totally spaced out on me when I kissed him for the first time.”

Cloud can feel himself heating up even more in response; the memory of their first kiss comes to him in a flash, and he’s embarrassed. “That’s not fair!” He says, catching up to Bartz who is all smiles and laughter.

“I’m just being honest, you know.” Bartz is still laughing and Cloud feels like hiding in shame.

“I wish you weren’t.” A weak response but he can’t come up with anything to say.

As if to spare Cloud from being further embarrassed, Bartz changes the subject. “So, what are you going to name them?”

“I didn’t decide on keeping the cat… and I don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy?”

“Well, there’s one way to find out.” Bartz then lifts the cat’s tail, checks, and says. “It’s a girl.”

“You choose a name for her, Bartz. I can’t think of any names.”

“Okay, how about Sky? After all, there are no clouds without the sky.”

Cloud hums, the corner of his lips turn upwards to a smile. These are times Cloud can’t help but adore Bartz. Bartz always knows exactly what to say to make him feel warm and fuzzy inside. “Her name is Sky, then.”

“So, that means you are going to keep her?”

Cloud pauses and looks down at Sky. She’s asleep, tucked and snuggled up his arm. She’s not like most cats; she’s different, she actually likes him. Cloud remembers Marlene and Betty telling him that cats choose their owners. Perhaps, this is the same for Sky; she chose him as her owner. “Yeah, I will keep her, but…”

“But?”

“I want to share with you.”

Bartz tilts his head. “Like being co-owners?”

“Yeah, something like that…we’re partners so it makes sense that we share her.”

Bartz grins, eyes sparkle, and he’s a little red in the face. “I like the sound of that. It’s a deal.”

Cloud nods. He likes the sound of that as well. He is certain Sky does too.


	2. art work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an artwork that I asked my youngest brother to draw for me. I wanted Cloud and Bartz to wear street wear. You can also support my brother through his Twitter or Instagram account. His public art account name is frostlyspark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moly! This was so hard to post. I can't! I am glad I just write and study most of the time!


	3. She's like a fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Simply put, he is spellbound by her."

Bartz only meant to stay at the pub for a little while, just until Faris and her pirate crew sober up so they could carry on with the expedition. Time is very precious after all; every second counts. But, he quickly changes his mind when he sees her.

She’s a waitress; she has on the same black and white waitress dress as all of the other waitresses at the pub. She’s small, slender, and young; she looks about his age. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a short ponytail. She’s serving the other patrons, listening attentively, then writing their orders down on her notepad before bringing it to the counter. She does her work with such grace; it’s very fascinating to watch.

Simply put, he is spellbound by her. Bartz doesn’t know how long he was staring; he loses all track of time in the process. He’s only brought back to reality when he hears Faris calling out to him.

“Blimey, Bartz, you have been staring at the little lassie for a while now.”

“No, I wasn’t.” He dismisses, taking a swig from his mug.

“You’re a terrible liar, ye know.” Faris reclines back in her chair, laughing her heart out. “Allow me to help you out.” She adds, raising her hand to get the waitress’s attention. Bartz tries to stop her to no avail. Faris continues to laugh, telling him to thank her later for this.

“How may I help you?” The waitress says as soon as she arrives at their table.

Faris answers her. For someone drunk, Faris moves fast. “My buddy here seems to take quite the interest in you.” If Faris wasn’t his best friend and the captain of the pirate crew, Bartz would have thrown his drink at her by now.

“Oh, is that so?!” The waitress exclaims, sounding shy, and she’s blushing. Bartz finds her to be really cute at that moment.

“Aye, aye! He couldn’t keep his eyes off of you.”

“Hey!” Bartz interrupts, flustered.

Faris stops talking, smirks, and gives him a wink, her way of giving him good luck. She then excuses herself to join her crew a table over, leaving the two of them alone. Bartz makes a reminder to himself to get back at Faris one day for embarrassing him.

“I’m sorry about my buddy here, she’s kind of bold.” _Too bold_ , he thinks but keeps that to himself as he lamely tries to explain.

She hums and then takes Faris’s seat across for him. “It’s okay.” She starts. Now that she’s sitting down right across from him, Bartz notices her bright blue eyes and thinks she’s like a fairy, a dainty beauty. He is spellbound by her; she captures him so easily, and everything around him is pink. “Is it true?” She asks.

Many thoughts are running in his head, most of them are declarations of love, bardic love songs. But, Bartz keeps it simple and says. “Yes.”

“Oh wow!” She muses, chewing her bottom lip. Then, she breathes out and says confidently. “I’ve got a couple of hours left in my shift. If you are not busy tonight, then maybe we could… you know?”

Just when Bartz thought she couldn’t get any cuter, she goes and asks him out. Though he wanted to be the one to ask her out, Bartz is fine about it. He looks over at the table Faris is at, suddenly remembering the expedition that they have to go back to. He knows Faris is listening so he wants to make sure if they can push back the expedition by a couple of hours. Soon as he catches Faris’s attention, Faris smirks and gives him the thumbs up. 

“Sure, that’s fine with me,” Bartz answers as he gets up from his seat and heads over to the waitress. He extends his hand out to her. “I didn’t introduce myself; my name is Bartz.”

She takes his hand. Bartz then pulls her to her feet. She smiles. “My name is Cloud.” 

“Cloud…” Bartz ponders, testing the feel of her name in his mouth. He likes it. The name suits her well. And maybe, Cloud is actually a fairy after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made Cloud a female in this short story because I think female Cloud is a beautiful girl. Female Cloud is a princess in my head!
> 
> The artwork belongs to my beautiful friend, Maruo! Please follow their tumblr account: http://roughpudding.tumblr.com/  
> Thank you so much for this!!!


	4. Third Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "As for love, it never seemed to give up on her."

As for love, it never seemed to give up on her.

When Cloud was a little girl, her mama used to tell her people would only fall in love three times in their lifetimes. Her mama used to tell her that each love was important, was needed, and happened for different reasons. When she asked about those reasons, her mama told her she would find out when the time was right.

The first time Cloud fell in love, she was in her early teens in her room, reading about the great war hero, Sephiroth. She admired him, respected him, and was completely in awe of him. He was her hero. She wanted to be like him, follow in his footsteps to become a soldier like him. She wanted to be at his side. Sephiroth was like a knight in shining armor to her; strong, confident, and handsome. To be with him, to be at his side, would feel like being in a fairytale.

The second time Cloud fell in love, it happened while she was still in love with her first love. It confused her because she didn’t think she could fall in love with two people at the same time. Yet, here she was falling for her friend - her best friend - Zack. Zack was a constant source of light for her; he encouraged her, he inspired her, he was simply and truly kind. She couldn’t help but fall in love with him. The more and the more she fell in love with him, the more her second love replaced her first love. She then soon realized that her first love was just a love that looked right, idealistic in nature, and nothing more.

Cloud’s feelings, however, were not returned; Zack was in love with another. It was to her dismay but she was happy for him nonetheless. Zack was deserving of love even if that love was not from her. Maybe if she had met Zack earlier then things could have been different. Maybe. She would never know. This love, her second love, was a hard love. A love she really wished could have worked out. A love she really wished was right.

Sometime after reaching Midgar, Cloud gave up on love, abandoned the whole idea of it. Love was something that was not meant for her. It was too painful and ugly. It only seemed to leave her heartbroken and confused. Yet, love never seemed to give up on her.

Her third love came softly. It was right under her nose. It was a love she never saw coming. Cloud fell in love the third time in a strange world. She fell in love with a simple wanderer, Bartz, who was from a world different from hers. She didn’t know how it began, how it festered and grew inside of her heart, but whatever it was, it felt just right. They were opposites of each other; she was introverted and reserved while he was extroverted and easygoing. Despite that, there was a connection, a strong and deep connection, between them. That connection fitted in so perfectly. 

Cloud saved him. Bartz called her his puffs in the sky. He always had her back just like she had his. As for love, it came in softly. They talked and found out that they were not so different at all. Emotions were heavy baggage for both of them, but love was a troubling concept. She gave up on love and he settled on the idea that there was no place or time for love. Still, they fell in love with each other.

If Cloud had to describe it all, she would say that Bartz was like the sun, bright, warm and always shining. As for her, she would consider herself as a daisy, who opened up in the sunlight and stayed with the sun. It was with Bartz, Cloud could really be herself, let down her guard, and be vulnerable. Bartz loved her for who she was just like how she loved him for who he was.

Her third love came softly. It was right under her nose. It was the love she never saw coming. It swept her off of her feet time and time again.

So when Bartz asked Cloud to come with him to his world and be his bride, the answer had come out so easily like it was meant to be.

When Cloud was a little girl, her mama told her she would find the reasons for her love when the time was right. Her mama was absolutely right. Cloud found the reason in her third love. Her third love was the love that felt just right. It was the love that showed her what true love was. It was the love that would last forever and ever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based on the three types of love theory by Kate Rose.
> 
> https://www.elephantjournal.com/2016/11/we-only-fall-in-love-with-3-people-in-our-lifetime-each-one-for-a-specific-reason/
> 
> I kind of wrote this to make myself feel better. I had a rough night because of my emotions!
> 
> I made Cloud a female again because I love female Cloud so much!


	5. Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A continuation for chapter three... "She's like a fairy"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story idea came from my beautiful friend, Maruo! I really hope you enjoy this!

Bartz waits for Cloud in one of the booths toward the back. Many patrons fill the pub now that the dinner rush hour is in full swing. In the midst of it all, Cloud manages to stop at his booth to serve him a small bread basket with a glass of water. She couldn’t stay to chat but she mentions that it’s a little something to snack on while he waits. 

He would have stayed at the inn until it was time for him to go. Bartz had gone there earlier to freshen up and get rid of the alcohol smell on his person. But, Faris thought it was the perfect time to share his love-stricken moment at the pub with her crew. And he soon became a standing joke to them. Annoyed, he decided to return back to the pub since he didn’t know what else to do with his time. And between his two options, Bartz would rather be at the pub than continuing to be a laughing stock among the crew.

As the dinner rush starts to wind down, Cloud stops at his booth again and says. “Alright, I’m done with my shift now.” She then collects the basket and glass from the table with one hand and wipes down the table with her other hand. “Let me put these away first and then we can go, okay?”

“Okay.” Bartz says, getting up from his seat. “I’ll wait for you outside if that’s alright with you.”

“Yeah, that’s fine with me. I’ll see you real soon.” With that, Cloud turns on her heels and heads toward the backroom.

Bartz takes his leave. He then stands outside by the entryway, leaning against the wall. He hums a tune, a childhood melody, as he looks up at the night sky. The stars are out and visible, twinkling and glowing. He has traveled to many places and never once has he seen the stars shine so bright like this. In a sense, it’s fitting, allegorical to how he sees Cloud, a dainty beauty that stands out from all the rest. 

“Nothing ever goes on in this backwater town…” Bartz hears Cloud say as she begins to appear in his line of sight. The warm and fuzzy feeling from earlier returns. And he’s certain Cloud’s a fairy. She’s now wearing a light blue milkmaid dress that flatters her, outlining her shape. The dress’s sweetheart neckline gives her an innocent look yet it exposes more of her pale skin. She has a satchel bag on her person. Around her neck, she’s wearing a simple silver necklace with a blue diamond-shaped pendant on it. Her blonde hair is free from the ponytail, hanging free, framing her face. To him, Cloud looks radiant like the stars above. “But, the stars here never cease to amaze people, don’t you agree?”

Hoping he doesn’t have a slack-jawed look on his face, Bartz voices his agreement. If Faris were here with him, she would have broken into a fit of laughter with how flustered he is right now.

“You’re ready to go, Bartz?”

“Yeah. So, where are we heading to this fine evening, Cloud?”

“Oh, we’re going to my favorite spot.” She says, leading the way. “You’ll find out in a bit. It’s not too far from here.”

Cloud’s right. It doesn’t take too long to reach her favorite spot, a water well on a post, but Bartz wishes it wasn’t so high up.

“Are you alright?” She asks, concerned.

“Yeah…” He scratches the back of his head, an awkward and nervous smile plastered on his face. “I’m not a fan of high places…” He cringes a little; it’s always uncomfortable admitting his fear of heights to others. Others always find it funny that he’s afraid of height since he’s always adventurous and daring. So, Bartz’s ready and prepared for Cloud to start laughing.

But, the laughter never comes. Her expression softens and she tells him. “I understand. It’s not too high up, though.” She reaches for his hand and holds on. “You’ll be fine; just don’t let go of my hand, okay?”

Bartz nods and Cloud leads the way once again, walking up the stairs. The thing about his fear of heights is more so the fear of falling, crashing to the ground, than anything else. It started when he was a young boy when he almost fell from a roof of a two-story house during a game of hide-and-seek. The sensation of overwhelming vertigo coming all at once as he cried for help, struggling to hold on. It took awhile for someone to help him then, but now, this beautiful girl comes to his aid. The feel of her hand soothes him and brings him to safety. Still, Bartz couldn’t shake off the feeling that he’s falling. He doesn’t know where he’s falling to, but for once it feels nice and not so scary.

When they reach the top of the stairs, Cloud lets go of his hand and takes a seat near the water well. She pats on a spot beside her, and he then joins her, resting his back against the water well.

“Thanks for earlier.” He says a little while later.

“No problem, anytime.” She says. “Though, I must say I’ve never met a pirate who’s afraid of heights before.”

“Actually, I’m not a pirate.”

“You’re not?” 

“Yeah. I am a world traveler, a knight by trade.”

“A world traveler and a knight, huh… Yet, somehow you wind up in a band of pirates.” She chuckles.

“It’s all part of my craft. I am a royal knight for Castle Tycoon, serving the two princesses who are also my friends. The pirate, Faris, who introduced us is one of the princesses and the captain of the crew.”

“A pirate princess?! Or is she a princess pirate?!” She asks, confusion written all over her face.

Bartz laughs, loosening his posture, becoming more comfortable with the location. “Faris calls herself a pirate first before any other title. So to answer your question, she would be a pirate princess.”

“I see. You guys are quite the bunch.” Cloud then places her satchel on her lap, fishes through it, and pulls out a sandwich wrapped in wax paper. She hands it to him. “I thought you might get hungry later on, so I made us some Nibel Pub sandwiches.”

“Wow, thanks. You’re very sweet, Cloud.”

“Don’t mention it…” Cloud says, rather coyly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. She misses a couple of strands of hair which falls loose on her forehead. Bartz tries his hardest to resist the urge to tuck in those loose strands. Cloud continues to fumble over her words as she shifts her attention back to her bag. She then reaches into her satchel to get her sandwich. “I was the one who asked you for this… oh you know?!” 

Bartz believes he’s truly blessed to be with such an adorable young woman like her. “I know.” Cloud then smiles at him. And Bartz takes a deep breath, feeling even warmer. They start to enjoy their meal.

“So, where are you heading after Nibelheim?”

“I’m not sure. Our next stop is wherever the wind decides to take us to. But the goal of our expedition is to reach Kaipo within the next three months.”

“Why within the next three months?”

“We’re looking for the sand pearl, which cures desert fever. Tycoon’s second princess, Lenna, wanted to research the sand pearl’s potency with the castle’s herbalists and chemists. Anyways, the antlions are monsters with two giant teeth like this.” Bartz sets his now half-eaten sandwich on his lap. He moves his hands near his mouth and then sticks out his index fingers to illustrate what the antlions look like. Cloud giggles in response. He continues. “Can produce a sand pearl when it lays its eggs during the summer solstice, which is in about three months. The sand pearl usually sells at a high price so we’re trying to get it before any scavengers do!”

“Oh, I get it now. But, those monsters, the antlions, seem dangerous. Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Concern once again coloring her voice and Bartz finds it endearing.

“Of course! The King of Damcyan, Edward, had informed us beforehand that the antlions were docile creatures. So, we’ll be alright. Not to brag or anything, but I’ve been on expeditions way more dangerous than this.”

“Right, it makes sense with you being a traveler and a knight.”

“Yeah, it comes with the trade; so many adventures and wonders!”

“It must be nice.” Cloud pauses, taking her time to string her next thoughts together. “ Do you mind telling me about some of those adventures? I mean, I want to know about some of the places you’ve been to. I want to know about the world outside of Nibelheim.” She gushes. Her cheeks are becoming red as she does.

“When you say it like that, I guess you’ve never left your village.”

Cloud nods her head. “I want to leave the village and travel.... The thing is, not a lot of women leave Nibelheim unless they’re married. So, I could only hope and dream about leaving the village one day, you know.”

Bartz doesn’t understand what has come over him. Maybe it’s the sense of longing in her voice or the way her face lights up as she discusses her dream. Whatever it may be, there’s this urge burning inside of him to take her with him and show her the world she has longed to see. These very words slip out of his mouth before he even knows it. “Instead of telling you about it, I rather show you the world.”

“What?” She asks, sounding unsure of herself as if she’s trying to figure if she had heard him right.

“I want to show you the world outside of Nibelheim.” He says, trying to quell her uncertainty.

“But...why?”

There are so many answers to her why. The thing is, he lacks the words to describe them. So, Bartz tells her this. “I don’t want to leave a girl like you to dream if I can do something about it.”

“I’m only a waitress… I can’t be that much help to you.”

“Don’t worry, I can protect you.”

“But, what if you get hurt?!” Her response takes Bartz by surprise, making him stay quiet. Actually, they are both quiet now. The silence between them is awkward and stiff. Bartz wonders if he messed this up. That would be the scariest part since he doesn’t want this to end so soon. His worries are soon put to rest when Cloud speaks again. “I’m sorry… I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of me.”

Bartz catches onto the word “else”, and he wants to know, wants to listen and understand. He waits for Cloud to place her uneasiness into words.

She toys and twirls her pendant between her fingers like it was some kind of coping mechanism for her. “First it was my dad, and then my mom… my mom is okay now, but it’s scary to see someone get hurt trying to protect me.” She lowers her head and looks away. “It makes me so happy that you want me to come with you, but I don’t want to see you get hurt because of me. I want to be able to protect you and anyone else I care about.”

He understands her. There were people who sacrificed themselves for him like his dad and Galuf, the king of Bal… Those sacrifices still pain him to this very day. In a way, he and Cloud are kindred spirits, alike in certain ways. Bartz realizes there’s so much more he wants to learn about Cloud, and he’s willing to wait forever if he has to. “Your mom and dad protect you because they care about you. I would protect you, Cloud, for those very same reasons…” He trails off as he notices her trembling. It happens so suddenly; his body moving on its own as he pulls her into a side hug. “I’m willing to wait for you.”

Cloud turns her head to look up at Bartz; her face still filled with worry. “You mean…” She leaves her thoughts open-ended for him to complete.

“Yes, I’ll wait for you, and once you’re ready, I’ll come back to Nibelheim and take you with me.”

Cloud slowly slips out of his embrace. She then changes her position so that she’s facing Bartz completely. The worry on her face starts to fade away as she asks. “Is that a promise?”

“Yeah, it’s a promise.”

“Won’t you forget about me, though?”

“I don’t think I could forget you like that.” It’s the truth. Bartz could never forget Cloud, the beautiful girl that captures him so easily. “I’ll even write you letters to prove it.”

“Will you write about your adventures sometimes?”

“As long as you write about yours?”

Cloud smiles as she reaches over to unfasten the clasp of her necklace. As her necklace hangs loose, she removes it from her neck before handing it to Bartz. Reading the confusion on his face, Cloud explains. “Consider this as my promise to you. My promise to protect you. I want you to hold onto my necklace, and once I’m ready, I’ll take it back.”

“Are you sure you’ll be fine without it?”

“As long as you come back to me, I’ll be fine.”

Bartz hums in agreement, leaning forward to kiss the top of her head. It happens on its own, happens so fast that he doesn’t have any time to stop himself. And maybe when the time is right, he can understand why she enchants him so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned some aspects from Final Fantasy IV, which is my first Final Fantasy game. Hence why it is my favorite Final Fantasy game.
> 
> I like the idea of Lenna studying medicine because of her personality. Also, she was my chemist when I had played Final Fantasy V.
> 
> I came up with the name "Nibel Pub" sandwiches after browsing through this website that is dedicated to Final Fantasy inspired recipes. The actual name of the sandwich is Kohlingen Pub sandwich. It's a Final Fantasy VI inspired recipe: https://finalfantasyrecipes.com/2011/02/18/kohlingen-pub-sandwich/
> 
> Cloud's necklace is based off the diamond bangle, which is one of Cloud's armors in Dissidia Opera Omnia. Also, the dress Cloud wears in this is based off this adorable dress I saw while surfing the internet. https://us.shein.com/Ruched-Detail-A-line-Dress-p-1248373-cat-1727.html?url_from=adplaswdress02200526341S_ssc
> 
> I made Bartz a knight because one of his passive abilities in Dissidia Opera Omnia was called "Knight's soul." Plus, I think Bartz would be Cloud's knight!
> 
> I hope the story was good! I tried to do my best to connect some character elements in order to complete this part! I am going to add one more part to this so it can be completed!


	6. Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A continuation to "chapter 3 and 5"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story idea came from my beautiful friend, Maruo! I really hope you enjoy this!

Bartz’s letters start to come in one after another. It always comes to her house in the same fashion; early in the morning by a rock dove. The rock dove would always perch himself on her kitchen window sill as he waits. When Cloud goes to greet the bird, the bird would chirp and nuzzle his beak to her hand, his way of saying hello. Then, the bird would turn to his side for her to retrieve the small container attached to his back. 

She doesn’t open up the container right away; she leaves it on her vanity table as she gets ready for her shift at the pub. After the third or was it the fourth letter, she finds it better to read the letter after work than before it. It’s less distracting for her and it keeps her mind focused on her job. Plus, his letters are like a pick-me-up for her after a long and tiring day at the pub. And it becomes something for her to look forward to while she works. It always brings a smile to her face when she reads his letters on her bed after supper.

Bartz’s always descriptive in his letters, placing great details in his writing. He writes about himself and his days at sea. When they are sailing on calm waters, Bartz and the pirate crew perform tedious ship work chores. They crack jokes, share laughs, and have a good ol' time with one another, lightening up the mood. Somehow, to his dismay, Bartz always ends up being the center of their jokes. He knows how to laugh at himself, knowing the crew only clowns on him because he’s still fresh blood to them. But, he doesn’t let them have all the fun at his expense. He jokes right back about them, especially about Faris and two of her men, Remi and Ronan. 

When all is said and done, and night time comes around, Bartz sleeps in a hammock on the main deck. He likes to look up at the stars, watch them glow and glisten against the night sky. Sometimes, Faris would join him and they would talk about whatever. But, most of the time, Bartz’s all by himself, looking at the stars above him. The stars out at sea can’t compare to the stars in Nibelheim, but they’re still beautiful to look at. Every time he sees the stars in the night sky, Bartz’s reminded of his outing with Cloud, and the promise he has made to her.

The toughest days are not so peaceful; they’re adrenaline-inducing. The sea rises and roars with the harsh winds as the incoming storm picks up speed. The storm darkens the sky, coloring it a dreary shade of grey. The playful banter of slower days are gone as they brace for the storm. Faris demonstrates her leadership and pirate skills the best in these moments. She instructs Bartz and her men on their tasks. Remi, Ronan, and the other sailing masters take their positions at the steering wheel and the sails. They steer the ship towards the wind, sailing through the storm. Bartz’s task is to assist the quartermasters, Kirk and Pete, to move the supplies from the main deck to the lower deck. The rest of the crew stay in their respective cabins until the storm has passed. 

The storm doesn’t last long, lasting about two to four days at the most. Once the storm does end, they stop at the first town they spot.

They land the ship at the town of Istory to rest and stock up on a month’s worth of supplies. Their supplies had taken a hit while they were caught in the storm. Istory, Bartz writes, reminds him of Nibelheim. It’s a small town with a close-knit community. Everyone knows one another and always looks out for each other. Bartz wishes Cloud could see the town for herself so he can hear her thoughts about Istory. But, unlike Nibelheim, Istory is not a mountain town. Istory is a small market town known for its waterfall, Istory Falls. A traveling bard tells him about Istory while telling Bartz of their tale in one of the markets. The bard even mentions the location of the waterfall, eastward of the town. As much as he would like to check it out for himself, he has a duty to honor. There’s not enough free time left as the date of the summer solstice gets closer. So, there’s no time to dilly dally around. Bartz does promise to come back to see it one day, and he hopes he’s with her when he does.

Cloud rolls on to her side and then traces the outline of Bartz’s penmanship on the paper. Her fingers go over the loops and curves of his words, processing his words. The smile on her face widens. Bartz hasn’t forgotten about the promise, hasn’t forgotten about her. If Cloud were to take a look at herself, she would see how red she is right now. When she had asked him out, it was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions. In Faris’ words, Bartz had taken quite the interest in her, and Cloud found him to be cute so it only made sense. She figured it would only be a one-time thing, a one-night outing, and they would never cross paths again. After all, Bartz’s a traveling knight and she’s only a waitress, a plain old country girl.

Somehow, one way or another, things happen the way it is now. It’s something she could never imagine, not even in her wildest dreams. Sometimes, Cloud feels like she’s in a fairytale, a girl having her wish come true by a chance encounter. And maybe like in all fairytales, she can… 

Cloud sits up in her bed, shaking off her blissful fancies. She tries to regain control of her breathing. The tight and fluttering feeling starts to flare up inside. It’s a common occurrence that she could never quite explain. Cloud never felt this way before, but these feelings come to her like an old friend. It becomes a part of her, welcoming and snuggling itself inside her heart. Usually, Cloud would discuss her feelings with her mom and listen to her mother’s words. But she decides against it, keeping it a secret for now. She doesn’t want to explain the whole story to her mother just yet. Getting up from her bed, Cloud moves to her vanity, takes a seat, and pulls out a pen and paper to draft her letter. 

Her days are not as adventurous as Bartz’s, but it’s eventful all the same. There hasn’t been a slow day at the pub in weeks on end since Midgar's soldiers fill the pub. The city-state of Midgar has given soldiers an extended break for their service. Since Nibelheim is known for its stars, it has become a popular place for the city-state’s soldiers. So, everyday Cloud is on her feet, weaving and maneuvering her way through the packed pub. She does her best to attend and serve her patrons. It helps a lot that most of the soldiers are respectful patrons. Some of the soldiers, however, are total brutes especially when they are drunk off of rum and liquor. The drunken soldiers are rambunctious. And on many occasions, they try to flirt with Cloud and some of the other waitresses. Luckily for them, the pub owner’s father, Brian Lockhart, handled the situation on their behalf. By the end of the day, Cloud is worn-out and all she wants to do is lie in her bed and rest.

It takes a while for Cloud to hold up her end of the bargain. Cloud didn’t know where to start at first. After all, there's not a lot of skilled swordsmen in Nibelheim for her to train under. It isn’t until she overheard some soldiers’ conversations about a great swordsman, retiring to Nibelheim that she find some hope. Cloud doesn’t mean to pry in on their conversations - she’s trained better than that- but, she couldn’t let the opportunity go to waste. She asks them about the great swordsman as she serves them their desserts. The soldiers are happy to oblige with her curiosity. They tell her the great swordsman, Sephiroth, is one of the best swordsmen in the city-state’s military. They tell her many stories about Sephiroth’s time in the military. They tell her about his personality, and his willingness to train incoming soldiers. The soldiers tell her that apples are his favorite fruit. They even mention to her that they used to give him apples as a token of appreciation.

As Cloud thanks the soldiers, she asks if they knew why Sephiroth was retiring to Nibelheim. They tell her there are rumors that Sephiroth grew up in Nibelheim, used to live in the manor. Having nothing else to say, Cloud thanks them again. Then, she heads to the backroom, figuring out how to make Sephiroth train her in swordsmanship.

Cloud starts with an apple pie. After her shift, she goes to the market and buys a bag of granny smith apples and brown sugar. When she arrives home, she goes to work making the pie with her mother’s help of course. Her mother keeps asking Cloud personal questions, trying to pry into Cloud’s life. To which, Cloud fibs and stretches the truth so she can still hold on to her secret a little longer. Her mother doesn’t delve further into Cloud’s response, buying into Cloud’s half-truths. But, Cloud knows her mother is letting her go for now. Her mother's intuition will make her mother ask again. Cloud hopes by then, she can be honest about everything. 

The pie is then set on the kitchen counter. The kitchen’s window is open a crack for the night air to cool down the pie overnight. The next morning before she goes to work, Cloud wraps up the pie and places it in a basket. She makes her trip to the manor on the outskirts of Nibelheim. The manor is intimidating, giving off such a creepy vibe, staying true to the urban legends about it. But, Cloud doesn’t back down, she walks to the front door with as much confidence as she can muster. This is her only chance to fulfill her dream and see Bartz again. And there’s no way she’s going to pass it up.

She pulls the bell-rope and then watches the bell begin to swing side to side. She waits and pulls the bell rope again. On the second ring, the door opens, revealing the great swordsman, Sephiroth. Cloud gulps. Sephiroth is everything the soldiers had said about him. He is tall, poised, and dignified, exuding an air of confidence. She must admit she’s awestruck and anxious, but she does her best to not let it show. 

Sephiroth looks her up and down, and then asks. “Is there something you need?”

“Ah, yes!” Cloud says. “I want you to train me. I heard many great things about you and I want to know for myself. I want you to teach me all you know about swordsmanship.”

He hums and stands tall. “Why is that?”

She takes a deep breath and speaks her truth. “ Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always had someone protecting me. Most times, I’ve seen them get hurt while doing so. I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt because of me. I want to get stronger so I can protect the ones I care about…” _So I can protect him…_ Cloud keeps that part to herself. She then retrieves the apple pie from the basket and hands it to him. “I know it’s not much, but I hope you can accept this apple pie as a thank you.”

Sephiroth takes a moment to respond, calculating his next words. Once he’s sure of himself, he says. “Very well then.”

“So, you’ll train me, then!”

He nods his head. “I understand your sentiment…”

“Cloud! My name is Cloud, sir.”

Sephiroth gives his thanks and repeats himself. “I understand your sentiment, Cloud.”

“Thank you very much, sir!” She clasps her hands together and breathes out a sigh of relief.

“The pleasure is all mine. We will start at daybreak this Sunday.”

She nods her head in agreement.

“Good. I’ll see you then. Till then, have a good day.”

“Yes, and you do the same.” 

Sephiroth grins and closes the door behind him. Cloud stands around for a moment, looking up at the sky. She didn’t think it would go over so smoothly. Yet somehow a miracle happened and she has found a swordsman - one of the greats at that- to train her. She's one step closer to her dream, one step closer to seeing Bartz again. 

Cloud doesn’t end her letter with any of her blissful fancies, of course. She wouldn’t dare to write down any of her wishful thinking for Bartz to read. It comes off too silly for her. Even though she doesn’t understand her feelings, she rather keeps it a secret for now. It’s better that way. Cloud signs her name at the bottom and rolls the letter into the container. Tomorrow, she’ll send the letter off, but right now she rests and hopes for that one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to make this two part, but I thought I should add another part! So, the next part would be the final part to this short story. After that, I have two more short stories to write: another female Cloud story and a Clartz story. Once I finish this, I can start typing up my independent Bartz x fem! Cloud story!
> 
> Writing Notes:
> 
> Rock Dove were used as messenger pigeons because of their homing abilities. I couldn't think of a name for the bird, though. Maybe his name would rhyme with Boko or Koko!
> 
> I don't like writing in first person! That's why I written this chapter like this! 
> 
> I actually did a quick research on pirates to give some details. I also looked up pirate names as well!
> 
> Istory is such a nice town in FFV. It's also the town where you can get Romeo's ballad, which is known as the Love song. Well, I just could not help myself!
> 
> I love fairytales. I love the Uptown Girl trope so very much. So, I try my best to write just that!
> 
> FFVII Crisis Core was the first game I've played in the FFVII universe and I remember Sephiroth was a pretty alright guy in the game until Nibelheim mission. Anyways, Sephiroth was going to retire after the Nibelheim mission so I used that! Banora apples was mentioned a lot in that game and I think Sephiroth would like apples! I was thinking about apple pie when I was writing this! I need to learn how to make an apple pie!


End file.
